British Chief Justice wants halt on inquiry judges

The Telegraph reports he is worried that judicial independence may be at risk if a judge appointed to lead a controversial inquiry is seen as ‘siding inappropriately with the government’ of the day. Lord Falconer, the Lord Chancellor, is willing to consult the judiciary on individual appointments – but not to allow judges, as a last resort, to prevent a judicial inquiry from taking place. The constitutional clash emerged after Lord Woolf took the unusual step of writing to the Commons public administration select committee, to which he said the Lord Chief Justice should have to concur with the appointment of any serving judge to a public inquiry. Full report in The Telegraph